FISH REPORT — ONS-matthews – 20 February 2020 Compiled by Jim Matthews www.OutdoorNewsService.com
The fish report is weekly. Its accuracy depends on marina operators, tackle shops, and local fishermen we contact. Anglers catching large fish should send the information to Outdoor News Service, P.O. Box 9007, San Bernardino, CA 92427, or telephone 909-887-3444, so it can be included in this report. E-Mail messages or fishing reports can also be posted to Jim Matthews at odwriter@verizon.net.
The fish report is copyrighted and any use or reposting of the report, or portions of the report, is prohibited without written permission.
JIM MATTHEWS’S PICKS OF THE WEEK
1. Crappie Mania. Limit-style fishing on crappie averaging 1 ½-pounds at Lake Success in the western Sierra is happening right now. Slabs to four pounds have been reported. The bite has been good for both shore and boat anglers fishing around any flooded structure with live minnows. For an update on this action and top spots, check with Bob’s Bait at 661-833-8657.
2. Lake Palmdale is the hot spot for the region this week, and two plants in the past two weeks have joined the 36,000 pounds planted before the opener three weeks ago. Limits are still pretty common on PowerBait or fly-lined nightcrawlers. This is a private lake, but season memberships are still available. For fishing and membership information, call the lake at 661-947-2884 or go to website at www.palmdalefinandfeatherclub.com.
3. Silverwood Lake has continued to be good for trout and another trout plant was going in this week. This makes for plants every two weeks for at least the past two months. The trout bite has been pretty good around the marina and into both Miller and Cleghorn canyons. The best trout bite was on small spinners or plastics and PowerBait. For an update on the action, call the marina at 760-389-2299 or the Silverwood Country store at 760-389-2423.
HIGH DESERT WATERS
VICTORVILLE REGION
HESPERIA LAKE: Continued good trout action thanks to weekly plants of trout (although two weeks ago was skipped). A 1,200-pound plant of Mt. Lassen trout went in last Thursday. Most of the fish are in the 1-8 range with some bigger. Top spots have been the drain, Finger Cove, and along the north shore. Lake information: 800-521-6332 or 760-244-5951.
JESS RANCH LAKES: The trout bite has been slow on windy days and better on calm days with some good catches reported on PowerBait in salmon peach, spring green, and rainbow colors, nightcrawlers, or the small trout jigs and plastics. Best bite is before 10 a.m. Top spots include the northern and eastern shores of lake 2 and the grassy point and western shore near the drain of lake 3. Other species very slow, but there was a nice five-pound bass reported. For more information call (760)240-1107 or go to www.jessranchlakesnews.com.
MOJAVE NARROWS: No reports. There are weekly 609-pound plants on Thursdays. DFW plants are slated for this week, and they went in two and three weeks ago. The park is only open Thursday through Monday, closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Information, call 760-245-2226.
HIGH DESERT WATERS
ANTELOPE VALLEY REGION
APOLLO PARK LAKE:
APOLLO PARK LAKE: The trout plant has slowed since the plant three weeks ago, and no more plants are slated to go in until just before the March 7 derby. The holdover rainbow being caught are showing on Black Drew’s jigs or PowerBait. And the hot PowerBait has been the natural scent garlic in Orange and Nymph colors (alone or mixed together). No bluegill, carp, or catfish reports, but those bites could break open any time with the warmer weather over the past week. For more information on plants and events, contact Apollo Park at 661-940-7701 or Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.
JACKSON LAKE (NEAR WRIGHTWOOD): No fishing reports. The lake is mostly iced over and way too thin to walk on. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.
LAKE PALMDALE:The lake was stocked last week and again this week with 6,000 pounds of trout up to 14 pounds. These fish join the 36,000 pounds planted before the opener. The trout action remains excellent on a wide variety of baits and lures fished on light line (two-pound test), with PowerBait and small yellow and silver jigs the top bets. Limits are being landed in less than an hour by good anglers fishing around the docks (not in deep water). Other species are not getting any pressure, but drop-shot nightcrawlers are getting a lot of bass and catfish and even the odd crappie. The lake is open to members and their guests only, but memberships for 2020 are still available. Call the Palmdale Fin & Feather Club for membership and fishing information at 661-947-2884 or go to website at www.palmdalefinandfeatherclub.com.
QUAIL LAKE: Still tough fishing, but there have been some good catches this past week. A couple of excellent catches of hand-sized bluegill was reported by anglers fishing adjacent to Highway 138 in the ponds separated from the main lake by the old road bed. Top bait was nightcrawlers. Anglers walking the north shore to the inlet are still reporting a few stripers and the occasional catfish. Best bait has been cut sardines with attractant added, especially Triple-X Bloood Bait. The stripers have been from three to five pounds and the catfish are in the same size range. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.
CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT (Hesperia to Quail Lake stretch): There has been a pretty decent bite on stripers all along the aqueduct this week on Rat-L-Traps with some fish to four pounds. The catfish action has also been fair with most anglers reported at least a fish or two when fishing with
sardines with attractant added or frozen shad and chicken liver fished in combo. Cats to seven pounds reported. The best action for both stripers and catfish is at road crossings, siphons, or any spot where the flow of the water is changed, slowed, or increased. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.
CENTRAL PARK LAKE (CALIFORNIA CITY): Still very tough, but a few bluegill starting to pick up, but most of the fish are small with few hand-sized fish right now. Best action has been on nightcrawler pieces with the action slow to fair overall. No bass or catfish reports.
LITTLE ROCK RESERVOIR: No reports this week. The lake is normally open to walk-in fishing, but the Palmdale Water District has an ongoing sediment removal project and access is restricted at times. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.
SAN BERNARDINO MOUNTAIN WATERS
SILVERWOOD: Both the striped bass and trout bites have just fair to good with much warmer weather and better conditions this past week. DFW trout plants were slated to go in this week, and trout were planted two and four weeks ago. Top spots have been around the marina and into both Miller and Cleghorn canyons. The best trout bite was on small spinners or plastics and PowerBait. The stripers are showing in the marina, Miller Canyon, and at the dam on anchovies, sardines, or swimbaits. A few limits of both stripers and trout have been reported. A few more largemouth have been reported for anglers fishing plastics off the points with the fish moving up into less than 30 feet of water. Slow other species. Lake elevation was 3,341.33 on Wednesday this week. This is down .63 feet from last week. Anglers should be aware of health advisories for the consumption of fish from this lake because of high PCB and mercury levels in the fish flesh and skin. Here’s the direct link to a PDF brochure explaining consumption recommendations: http://www.oehha.ca.gov/fish/so_cal/pdf_zip/081013KioskadvySilverwood.pdf. Dock fishing is allowed for $3 for adults, $2 for kids and seniors. Private boats must be inspected for zebra and quagga mussels. Boats with wet lower units will be turned away. Boats inspected and tagged at Diamond Valley and Perris will be allowed at Silverwood. The park is open seven days a week. Information: marina 760-389-2299, state park 760-389-2281, Silverwood Country store 760-389-2423.
BIG BEAR LAKE: Warm weather this past week has thawed most of the lake this past week, with only some sheet ice in the mornings in protected areas. The trout action has been tough, but some bait and lure fish are being reported at the dam. For information on fishing, call Big Bear Sporting Goods at 909-866-3222 or visit the store’s Facebook page.
GREGORY LAKE:No report available. Lake and fishing information at 909-338-2233 or on the website at lakegregoryrecreation.com/fish. Fishing updates are posted infrequently on the park’s Facebook page or website.
GREEN VALLEY LAKE: Mostly iced over, but some open water in afternoons. No fishing reports. Ice fishing is not allowed or safe. The website is www.gvlfishing.com and the Facebook page is Green Valley Lake Fishing.
INTERSTATE 5 LAKES
CASTAIC: DFW trout plants this week and four weeks ago. The fish planted over the last two months have spread around much of the lake, and a few trout are showing on PowerBait or small spoons and jigs. After a plant the fish stay near the plant site for a few days before dispersing. Most are around a half-pound. The warmer afternoons have really perked both the striper and black bass bite. The largemouth and smallmouth are moving up out of deep water in a pre-spawn movement into water 20 feet and less. Drop-shot plastics and nightcrawlers have been best. The stripers are still mostly showing on bait – mostly sardines, anchovies, and lug worms – but some are also showing on jigging spoons, ice jigs, and deep-trolled umbrella rigs. These fish remain mostly in deep water and most are still three pounds. A few catfish have been reported in deep water off sandy beaches on sardines or chicken liver. The bluegill bite is slow, but increasing numbers of crappie are being reported on small jigs and spoons from the lower lake and more and more from the upper lake. The lake’s elevation was 1,477.44 feet on Wednesday, up 4.17 feet from last week. The lake is at 76 percent of full pool. For information call the marina at 661-775-6232 (www.CastaicLake.com) or Tackle Express at 661-251-8700.
PYRAMID: The striper bite has been fair, but mostly in very deep water off Chumash Island and at the dam on sardines or jigging spoons. Trollers are working the points around Chumash Island and getting a few, mostly on umbrella rigs. Some have also been reported at the swim beach and in the canal by the entrance booth for shore anglers fishing sardines or nightcrawlers. Also a few catfish showing in this bite. The largemouth and smallmouth bites both been improving with a few more fish reported this week on plastics and reaction baits in the mornings along drop-offs and points. The trout bite has remained fair after the plant four weeks ago, but the lake was not on the plant list again for this week. Top areas have been along the rip-rap in front of the boat shop and along the canal near the entrance booth. PowerBait, small spinners, trout jigs, and trout plastics all getting a few fish. Boat anglers have also been reporting some trout on the same baits at Bear Trap and Spanish Point, but mostly in deeper water. No reports on other species. The lake’s elevation was 2,564.95 feet on Wednesday this week, down. 20 feet from last week. This is at 85 percent of full pool. There is a health warning about eating fish from Pyramid Lake (except the rainbow trout). More information at this link: http://www.oehha.ca.gov/fish/so_cal/pyramidlake2013.html. Information: Emigrant Landing entrance booth at 661-295-7155 or Tackle Express at 661-251-8700.
COLORADO RIVER
ARIZONA FISHING REPORTS:The Arizona Game and Fish Department compiles a weekly report for most waters in the state, including the Colorado Rivers. Anglers can read the report at this direct link: http://azgfd.net/artman/publish/FishingReport/.
FLOW INFORMATION: Reservoir elevation levels and flow releases for the entire lower Colorado River are available at this web site with information updated hourly: www.usbr.gov/lc/region/g4000/hourly/rivops.html.
WESTERN SIERRA
LAKE ISABELLA: Still light fishing pressure even with the best weather over the past week. The deep-water crappie bite has perked back up and more fish were reported this week than the previous week. The bite has been almost all on small minnows around flooded trees or marinas in 30- to 50-plus feet of water. The crappie are from ¾-pound up to two pounds. There have been a few catfish to six pounds on Triple S dip bait, clams, shad, sardines, chicken liver, all used with scent added. No largemouth, bluegill, or carp reports. There was a DFW trout plant last week and a few rainbows have been caught. The lake elevation on Wednesday this week was 2,560.61 feet, up .16 feet from last week. The lake remains at 30 percent full and very stable right now. Information: Bob’s Bait 661-833-8657 or www.bobsbaitbucket.com, North Fork Marina at 760-376-1812, or Cope’s Tackle and Rod Shop at 661-679-6351 or www.tackleandrod.com.
KERN RIVER: The trout bite continues pretty fair in both the upper and lower river. While there are no plants slated again this week. There were unannounced plants for Whiskey Flat Days in the upper river last week. There was also a plant in Section 4 two weeks ago and in sections 3, 4, and 6 four weeks ago. There are good numbers of holdover fish spread throughout the plant areas. Quite a few limits the past week, and game wardens caught a number of anglers with overlimits this past week and cited them. Salmon eggs, nightcrawlers, Roostertails and Blue Fox spinners, and SuperDupers are the best baits and lures. Very low flows for fishermen in both the upper (414 cfs) and lower river (325 cfs). Fly-fishing action fair on the upper river from Kernville up to the Johnsondale Bridge and above, but very cold water conditions. The bass action in the lower river has also been slow on nightcrawlers and small reaction baits. Information: Kern River Fly Shop 760-376-2040 or (www.kernriverflyfishing.com) or Gateway Market 760-376-2424.
AQUEDUCT NEAR TAFT: The overall bite has just good this past week on stripers, but most of the fish are under the keeper size and showing on blood worms, sardines, or live minnows. Few lure fish. The rare keeper has been three to four pound range with an occasional bigger fish. The catfish bite is slow on cut baits and dip baits at most bridge crossings and weirs. Mackerel, blood or lug worms, or chicken liver fished along the bottom are the best baits. Anglers are reminded the limit on stripers is two fish greater than 18 inches, while the largemouth limit is five fish. Information: Bob’s Bait 661-833-8657 or www.bobsbaitbucket.com or Cope’s Tackle and Rod Shop at 661-679-6351 or www.tackleandrod.com.
MILL CREEK PARK AND CANAL: The warm weather this past week has brought out more anglers, and a few catfish have been landed here on nightcrawlers. No reports of carp or bluegill, yet.
RIVER WALK PARK LAKE: Most recent DFW trout plant was over a month ago, and the bite is dead slow with no fishing pressure over the past week. A few bass starting to show. Other species have also been very slow. Information Bob’s Bait 661-833-8657.
HART PARK LAKE: The warm days have perked up the bass action a little with a few fish starting to show on plastics and Brush Hawgs. Dead for trout with no plants in two-plus months, and the lake is not slated to get DFW trout this week or next week. Slow action on all other species.
TRUXTUN LAKE: A few bass are starting to show on plastics here with the warmer weather. But still no carp, bluegill or catfish reported.
MING LAKE: There have been a number of bass reported over the past week on Brush Hawgs, plastics, and nightcrawlers. Most recent DFW trout plant over a month ago, and no fish are scheduled for this week or next week. Other species slow, with an occasional crappie in the evenings on live minnows.
BRITE LAKE: There has been a pretty good bite on hand-sized crappie on small jigs fished under a float, and the trout bite has been fair on Drew’s plastics and PowerBait. Other species are slow.
BUENA VISTA LAKES: There was a Mt. Lassen trout plant on Monday this week, and another plant two weeks ago. The action on rainbow trout has been good since early in the week with a lot of fish showing on Mini Jigs, along with the usual array of Mice Tails, garlic nightcrawlers, and PowerBait. There were also some reports of catfish to seven pounds on cut baits doused wth scent. Other species still slow. Fishing information: Bob’s Bait 661-833-8657 or www.bobsbaitbucket.com or Copeís Tackle and Rod Shop at 661-679-6351 or www.tackleandrod.com.
WOOLLOMES LAKE: No reports.
SUCCESS LAKE: Crappie mania is going on here with wide-open, limit-style fishing on quality slabs up to four pounds. The fish are showing for both boat and shore anglers fishing live minnows. DFW trout plants last week and five weeks ago, and this bite has been fair. Other species have been mostly slow, but a few more bass and bluegill are starting to show. The lake elevation is 604.54 feet, up 1.25 feet from last week. The lake is at 19 percent capacity. Information: Cope’s Tackle and Rod Shop at 661-679-6351 or www.tackleandrod.com.
KAWEAH LAKE: DFW trout plants last week and five weeks ago. The overall bite is still slow with very little fishing pressure, but some bass are showing on plastics and jigs in deeper water. No bluegill and catfish being reported. Lake elevation is currently 610.23 feet, up 2.12 feet from last week. The lake is at 15 percent capacity. Information: Sierra Sporting Goods at 559-592-5212.
EASTERN SIERRA
Top Eastern Sierra fishing report web sites are: www.KensSport.com (Bridgeport region), www.TheTroutFly.com (Mammoth Lakes region), and www.SierraDrifters.com (Bishop and Mammoth Lakes region).
TROUT PLANTS
For trout plants statewide, you can visit the DFW’s stocking page at https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FishPlants/.
This week’s trout plants: In Los Angeles County, Castaic Lake is scheduled to get trout. In San Bernardino County, Silverwood Lake, Mojave Narrows Park Lake, and Glen Helen Park Lake are all on the stocking list.
Next week’s trout plants (Feb. 23-29): In Inyo County, Diaz Lake, section 2 of the Owens River, and Pleasant Valley Reservoir are slated to get rainbows.
OCEAN FISHING REPORT
For the most comprehensive and up-to-date ocean fishing available, go to www.976-TUNA.com.
YOUR FISHING REPORTS
Please feel free to send your freshwater or saltwater fishing reports and fishing photos to Jim Matthews, Outdoor News Service, at odwriter@verizon.net the information will be included in the weekly report. If you have questions or comments, please call Matthews at 909-887-3444.
